Baylor Fires Football Coach Art Briles, Demotes President Ken Starr

Baylor University has demoted president Ken Starr, fired head football coach Art Briles, sanctioned athletic director Ian McCaw, and fired unnamed administrative and athletics department staffers, according to a release from the school. The school also said that an independent investigation found a “fundamental failure by Baylor to implement Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972" and a “lack of strong institutional management and control on a number of levels.”

The changes came as a result of an investigation commissioned by law firm Pepper Hamilton, which has spent the past nine months responding to Baylor’s handling of sexual assault claims. According to the university’s statement, Pepper Hamilton did not prepare an actual report; instead the school has synthesized the law firm’s findings into a 13-page Findings of Fact, which you can read here.

Our original story on reports that Art Briles was fired is below.

Original Story

According to a number of local and national media reports, Baylor University will announce the firing of head football coach Art Briles in just a few minutes:

Briles has been at Baylor for nine seasons, amassing a 65-37 record, but during his tenure the program has seen a wave of football players investigated, charged, and in some cases convicted of serious crimes like assault and sexual assault. Last year Baylor hired the law firm Pepper Hamilton to investigate its handling of sexual assault claims, and the Baylor board was given an update of their findings earlier this month.

There have also been reports in the last few days that Baylor president Ken Starr will also be fired, but the University has so far denied those reports.